Randy & Rachel's Engagement

Happy New Year to all my dearest blog readers and followers!
I hope everyone had a quality time with family and friends during the holiday season.

To kick start the brand new 2010, I have decided to postpone my regular weekday postings (of fashion, decoration, food, photographs, and real weddings) till next week, and instead, replace them with my personal announcement, appreciation, and things I learned during my year-end vacation in Des Moines, IA.

As mentioned in my last posting about an exciting news for you . . . that is - - - I am ENGAGED to my longtime friend and partner, Randy! I am so excited and can't wait to share the happy news with all of you!

After almost five years of courtship, we are finally getting ready to settle down and decided to spend the rest of our lives together as a family. Randy is my college mate who I met in Malaysia six years ago. He is a caring and understanding family guy who never failed to support me, cheer me up when I am down, enlighten me when I am in doubt, be the beacon of my life when I am lost, and always be there to share my sorrow and happiness. He is definitely someone who I would love to spend the rest of my time together with.

Here's Randy's proposal ^.*

On 12.30.09, he brought me out for a movie (It's Complicated!) and dinner for two at Romano's Macaroni Grill Italian Restaurant in West Des Moines. I can feel the uneasiness of him even the day before...he was tension and nervous (that is so unlike the usual him but I can totally understand when someone is about to give a surprise to his loved one).

After the movie, we went for dinner as scheduled. As soon as I sat down, I realized something unusual at our table (there was an additional vase of flowers and the table was under the spotlight!). Hmm...(in my mind) let's see what's going to happen =)

Right after our dessert (chocolate cake) was served, Randy went to the restroom and "awaiting his crew to come and join him!" After 10 minutes of waiting, he finally here...not just himself but with a big group of our host family and friends (they are Dustin, Sonya, Olivia, Sophia, Lydia, Fred, Freddy, Jenn Ho, Corrinne, Tony, Chia Wen, Huey Jer, Christi, Phaik Lyn, and Adeline), plus a nicely painted banner reads "Will You Marry Me?" held by our host parents. As soon as everyone gathered around, our host sister, Sophia brought out the engagement ring and Randy got down on his knee! Here come the successful proposal with the ring on!

~ My Engagement Ring ~

That's not the ending...the proposal came with a surprise engagement party at home! Fred and his sister, Sheryl prepared some refreshment for everyone plus a 5-star honeymoon hotel treatment for Randy and I in our room (a table topped with rose petals, river rocks, candles, a bottle of champagne, two flutes, and rose-petals-filled heart on our bed!). While everyone else enjoyed the bruschetta, fruits, and juices, both Randy and I were showered with some gifts from our friends. There are a customized set of cake cutter and server, champagne flutes, a big heart-shaped pendant, and a photo album from Jenn Ho, Corrinne, Tony, Chia Wen, Seth & Wen Ni, and another champagne flutes and ang pau (red packet) from Chia Yiaw & Cai Xuan.

Thank you everyone for joining us on the proposal. We love you!

Next...Preparation for our Wedding Ceremony/Registration of Marriage (ROM) on 1.1.10


Stay tune,